Bricks of Atlantis
by Flit Flutterby
Summary: A storm brings down the jumper McKay and Sheppard were in, and now after fighting for his life, Rodney is forced to make the harest decision of his life. Warning very very dark! Lots of Sheppard and McKay whumping! Warning Character Death! Compleat.
1. Chapter 1

**New storyin some ways it's simmilar to my other SGA fic, but hopefully you all will like it.**

**I do not own anything that has to do with Stargate Atlantis at all.**

McKay looked over Weir's contemplative face as he laid there. She looked as if the world had dragged her through Hell and back. He could clearly see the tear tracks she had so desperately tried to hide. He struggled to say something to her, but the words wouldn't come out. Her attention snapped back and she looked surprised at him before her gaze quickly softened. "Oh Rodney, you have no idea how good it is to see you awake." He offered her a smile as unshed tears shimmered in her eyes. He had to think for a moment, before he could remember what had happened.

"Elizabeth?" He forced out as best he could, "How is John?"…

"Come on John," Rodney bugged him, "Elizabeth said she wanted us to go back to the planet to recover the Ancients' tablets. Who knows what we could find out about them. You said you wanted to go back there."

"I do want to go back, I've just been busy lately," Sheppard said back feigning irritation, "you know some of us actually have assigned work to do. We can't all just play on our computers all day." Sheppard didn't mean anything by what he had said but McKay seemed to take offence to it.

"You know if it wasn't for me nothing would work around here." Sheppard knew this was true but still continued to mess with his friend.

"Oh on the contrary, I believe that if it wasn't for you, the things around here would work much better." He laughed and McKay had to crack a smile realizing his friend was just joking around.

"You know going to search for the tablets would be more fun then sitting in your office doing officer evaluations." Sheppard cringed, he knew McKay was right.

"Yeah, Yeah, alright give me an hour to at least get caught up with my reports and then we'll go check in with Weir. McKay looked satisfied.

An hour and a half later Sheppard had everything cleared with Weir. Soon after he meant McKay at the puddle jumper and they were prepped to go. They had a good four hours to bring back and translate as much as they could of the Ancients tablets they had found. The plant they were on had been deserted, according to Teyla, however, that wasn't always the case. They were one of the first planets gone to the Wraith from what was recorded in her people's history. Sheppard had asked if she had wanted to go with them but Weir had her assigned to go with Ronon to the mainland.

"Finally," McKay said as Sheppard stated up the puddle jumper. They went though the gate and the planet came in to view. "It's looking cloudy over our landing site."

"No problem, piece of cake." Sheppard took the jumper down toward the planet but McKay was watching the clouds.

"This doesn't look good."

"Trust me I can do this." He proceeded downward and stated though the storm. But the ride got turbulent. "What the… Shit this isn't a normal storm. Rodney sit down and buckle up." The ride got even rougher and McKay looked as if he were about to loose his lunch. He looked at Sheppard whose brow was furrowed in concentration. He was doing everything possible to steer though the storm. A sharp jolt came and he heard the controls sizzle. "Damn it, we've been hit by lightning and we've lost power," Sheppard cried. He tried to glide it down as gently as possible but the jumper fell like a rock with out any throttle. McKay watched as the ground came closer and closer towards them. "Rodney I want you to brace your self now." Sheppard had finally gotten the jumper parallel to the ground as they hit. McKay felt them bounce once before everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey if you guys like this one you can also check out my other SGA fic... Reciprocity... anyway thank you to everyone who reviewed, you guys are sweet.**

His head felt groggy as his opened his eyes. McKay tried looked around, but the movement blinded him in pain. He noticed his shoulder was at a weird angle. A tell-tale sigh that it was dislocated. The watermelon sized lump on his knee told him it wasn't quite in working order either. Gashes and bruises seemed everywhere and the sharp pain in his abdomen greatly concerned him. He had to stop for a moment to think of what had happened. They had crashed. He tried to look around again and could see the jumper had been pretty close to destroyed, meaning it was beyond his repair.

Flashes of the storm came back to him and then he remembered… John. He looked around again ignoring the throbbing pain that ran though his body, and saw Sheppard slumped over the controls. He wasn't moving. McKay stood up shakily and hobbled over to his friend. The first thing he noticed was the growing pool of blood under Sheppard's still form. At first glance it looked like it was from the three inch gash that ran from his temple to his ear that was causing the mess of blood. But when McKay moved his friend off the controls and saw that the trust lever was now impaled into Sheppard's chest. He knew that that was where the blood was coming from. McKay gasped and took a step back from grotesque injury. Then with all the strength he could muster in his good arm, he moved Sheppard in to a clearing on the floor. He did the best he could using his coat to put pressure on the injury, but he knew that it was like trying to stop a forest fire with a garden hose. The blood just kept pouring out. He searched for a radio in hopes of maybe getting a signal though, it was Sheppard's only chance, because it would probably be another three hours before anyone would miss them. At least John gave Elizabeth our position, McKay though. Sheppard's pulse was getting weaker and McKay noticed he himself was becoming lightheaded and weak. Pain shot though his abdomen again and he curled up in to ball to try to lessen it. Sheppard's eyes fluttered open as he saw McKay in the ball groaning in pain.

"Rodney," he said surprised at the weakness of his own voice. McKay looked up. "What happened, you look like hell," Sheppard asked looking confused, McKay was concerned, his friend wasn't moving at all."

"The jumper crashed in the storm. How are you?" He asked knowing the answer all ready. There was a pause for a second as if Sheppard didn't know how to answer.

"I… I think I'm alright," he replied shakily, "I can't feel anything... Rodney I can't move my arms." Fear clouded his voice as he tried to move any part of his body and found he couldn't. McKay stood stunned for a moment as his friend looked at him completely helpless. He moved to put more pressure on Sheppard's chest, noticing his face was becoming pale.

"You can't feel this?" Sheppard tried to shake his head and look up only to find his body would no longer respond to him.

"No… What… what's wrong?" McKay debated about telling his friend about gaping hole in his chest. Apart of his brain told him that Sheppard was still alive because he didn't know he was dying.

"Just hold on, you're going to be fine." Sheppard smiled weakly at him knowing McKay was lying to him, but accepted it anyway. "I'm going to try and get your radio to work, Okay?"

"Yeah." He watched as McKay took the radio and did his best to fix it with his good arm, and the limited tools. He felt so sleepy but something told him to keep his eyes awake. McKay looked over just as Sheppard started to black out again. He rushed as fast as his own injured body could take him over to Sheppard, and applied more pressure to the wound.

"Damn it John wake up," he yelled

"What?"

"You have to stay with me; I can't go back to Atlantis without you." As McKay said this, a wave of dizziness and nausea rushed over him.

"You're injured too," Sheppard stated not bothering to ask.

"I'm doing fine; it's just a dislocated shoulder, and maybe a broken knee cap." He was careful not to tell Sheppard about the increasing pain in his own stomach. Any other time McKay would have been whining to anyone who would listen about how the pain. But he knew now he had to be strong because if he gave up Sheppard would die on him for sure. "Hey look, I got the radio to work… Atlantis come in this is Dr. Rodney McKay… Colonel Sheppard and I are in trouble I repeat Colonel Sheppard and I are in trouble. If you get this send Dr. Carson Beckett… I know it's a long shot. They'll probably never get it but it was worth a try."

"Right." Sheppard voice was getting weaker.

"You know what I'm going to do when I first get back to Atlantis, watch my tape of the 2004 hockey playoffs Calgary as the underdog knocked the Detroit Red Wings, it was beautiful."

"Yeah, but didn't they end up loosing to Tampa Bay in the end." McKay grumbled a yes under his breath. Sheppard laughed then started coughing hard. Blood ran down his cheek as he closed his eyes again.

**T.B.C**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you guys for reviewing. It really means alot to me.**

**To Jules47... I'm sorry but it probably will end up that way and if not it will have a very sad not happy ending. But because this one is so sad I've been working on a happier SGA fic that will be something along the lines of Sheppard maybe McKay,getting a pet, but I haven't decided if it'll be a Fuzzy Kitten, Playful Puppy, or cheeky squirrel and I can be swayed in any dirction, anyway mischief will happen.**

"Sir," one of the officers caught Colonel Caldwell's attention, "I've pick up a radio signal from a planet not to far from here. I think you should listen to it." Caldwell nodded and it played over the static. "…Atlantis…McKay…Trouble…Colonel Sheppard…In trouble…Send…" it cut off. Caldwell looked worried.

"What is their location can you pick it up?" The officer shook his head. "All right I'm radioing back to Atlantis, maybe Dr. Weir can tell me where it's coming from."

Weir was sitting at her desk reading though some reports when Zelenka came in. "Hello, Dr. Zelenka what's wrong?"

"I was sent up here to tell you a message is coming in from the _Daedalus_. Colonel Caldwell says it's important." She nodded

"Thank you, I'll head down to get it." She walked down to receive the message. "Good afternoon Colonel, I've been told that you have an important message for me."

"Yes, one of my officers received a transmission from a planet not to far from here that makes me think one of your teams is in trouble. It sounds like Dr. McKay and Lt. Colonel Sheppard are in need of help. Do you know where they are?"

"Yes, they went to A34 E797. They're not due back for another hour though. I can have a team ready to go in 10 minutes, how far are you?"

"I'm about an hour out, get your team out there and I'll meet you there. Out"

"Right on it… Out." Weir sighed. What had Sheppard and McKay gotten them selves into this time? She contemplated sending Beckett with the team, but he was bogged down with patients. She got Sergeant Bates in and had him get his team together and on the flight deck in five minutes as they prepped for a jump though the gate.

"Hold on John," McKay pleaded. Sheppard had been unresponsive for nearly ten minutes now. McKay felt for his pulse again and was reassured by the weak but steady thump. The bleeding from his wound had slowed but it was still trickling out at and alarming rate. McKay wondered what would happen to his friend if he survived. McKay tried the radio again… "This is Dr Rodney McKay… Colonel Sheppard and I are in need of assistance please send help." He was very surprised to get a response.

"Dr. McKay this is Colonel Caldwell. We have your location and someone is looking for you now. What is your status?"

"Our jumper went down in a freak storm, I've been banged up a bit and Colonel Sheppard is… well he's… he doesn't look good. I don't know if he can pull though." He heard a sigh come from the other end.

"Just hold on a team should be there now." At this point McKay was seeing stars, and feeling very faint. He checked Sheppard again hoping he was still stable, however his breathing was getting more and more ragged. McKay laid down hoping it would make his brain less fuzzy. The lights were starting to go blurry.

A voice pierced the air once more. "Colonel Sheppard, Dr. McKay, this is Sergeant Bates, what is your position." McKay made a grab for the radio.

"This is Dr. McKay; I'm not sure exactly where we are. With the trajectory we landed at I believe probably about a hundred miles off our projected landing site."

"We've got you in sight, we're coming in." McKay breathed a sigh of relief. He tried to move again but this time his body adamantly protested his movement, and when he tired to sit up wave of dizziness rushed over him.

"Please just hold on John," he begged one last time before darkness clouded his vision.


	4. Chapter 4

**Still takeing any ideas for the type of pet to give to Sheppard to wreak havic over Atlantis. Anyway thank you thank you thank you to everyone who had reviewed. It really makes my day to check my e-mial and see the reviews.**

Voices buzzed in the back of his head. He could hear Sergeant Bates yell to his team to be quick. He could see when they shined the light in his eyes to check the reactivity of his pupil. He could see when Bates bent down over Sheppard's body and shook his head, but it all seemed like it was happening to someone else. Like he was looking out from someone else's eyes. It took him a moment to realize he was looking down at his own body and watching as they were taken gently on the puddle jumperthen though the gate. The he saw Carson running toward both him and Sheppard. But he couldn't hear anyone. It was like watching a silent film, it even seemed like there was music in the back ground. He could see the emotions as Weir met the returning group at the gate and almost fainting to the ground as she watch him and Sheppard get taken off. They took Sheppard off and Carson went with him, his brow furrowed in concentration, while Dr. Jacks grabbed the crash cart and put it to his own chest… It took him a moment before he realized what was going on, and then everything went dark again.

McKay woke up. His whole body felt like it had been run over numerous times by a car. He looked multiple IVs in his arm and the bandages all across his abdomen. Some of them were still oozing blood. His arm was in a sling and there was a thick cast over his leg. He turned his head almost expectant to see Sheppard staring down at him smiling, but it wasn't John it was Elizabeth.

McKay looked over Weir's contemplative face as he laid there. She looked as if the world had dragged her through Hell and back. He could clearly see the tear tracks she had so desperately tried to hide. He struggled to say something to her, but the words wouldn't come out. Her attention snapped back and she looked surprised at him before her gaze quickly softened. "Oh Rodney, you have no idea how good it is to see you awake." He offered her a smile as unshed tears shimmered in her eyes. He had to think for a moment, before he could remember what had happened… The storm… the jumper… John!

"Elizabeth?" He forced out as best he could, "How is John?"… She hesitated for a moment. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before the words could come out.

"I don't think this is the time to talk about it," she said gently. "You just got out of some very intensive surgery. You ruptured your spleen and had a laceration on your kidney, you were very lucky. Right now just sleep." It sounded so good to sleep, to give in the comforting darkness and forgot what was going on. But he couldn't

"No," he replied softly, "I have to know how John is doing." Fresh tears made there way down Weirs cheek and she bit her lip.

"I'm sorry Rodney… His injuries were very severe…" Rodney turned his head away and a tear rolled down his cheek.

"He didn't make it did he?

"Well technically he's alive, but he will never wake up. The damage was too great to be able to fix." Rodney just nodded, unable to react to what was going on.

"Can I see him?" Weir shook her head.

"We can't have you up right now. I need you to rest, please Rodney. I don't know what I'd do if I'd lost you too." She grabbed his arm and squeezed it tight as he dozed off. He could hear her cry as he fell asleep.

He opened his eyes for a moment and saw Ronon sitting across the room from him. "Hey," he said weakly and nodding. Ronon just gave him a head nod back.

He woke up again a few hours later to find Beckett sitting by his bed with his head in his hand.

"Can I see John," McKay asked. Beckett looked up and smiled weakly.

"No I'm afraid not lad. I just came in here to check on you and your blood pressure seems low." McKay noticed how distant Carson looked.

"How is he?" Beckett sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sorry Rodney… I can't bring myself to take him off the machines, but I'm afraid he'll never come back." Rodney was too tired to argue. Beckett injected some medication in the Rodney's IV and he fell into a deep sleep.

…Flash… light burst around him he could almost feel the heat from the lightning fry the controls, the falling hale was close to the size of oranges and the rain was beating down hard. But his time he was standing on the ground watching as the jumper crashed in, he saw how he had buckled himself in but the chair broke off its holdings and threw him free. John wasn't latched in at all and went flying full speed into the controls, but when he looked again he noticed John had disappeared and he was left all by himself. Then he saw Elizabeth walking over the wreckage, as if it were part of her daily routine, looking distant and cold. She picked him and just looked at him pityingly. "The choice is to be yours." He woke up again to find Teyla sitting next to him.

"You are so brave Rodney," she told him with a sad smile. She held his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "It's hard to speak the language of someone who is so very badly hurt. But if you ever wish to talk about it please come to me." She hesitated for a moment before offering a smile. "Dr. Weir believes that you should be the one to make the decision when to let John go, and the rest of us agree. We will wait until you a ready."

"No, I can't do that…"

"Please Rodney," tears were forming in her eyes, "You were his best friend. He trusted you over anyone. I feel that if he could ask you himself he would have."

"But what if he some how pulls though this, we could send him back to earth and

they could take care of him there." Weir walked in before Teyla could answer him.

"Tell me Elizabeth, would he have a chance if we sent him back to Earth?" She knew the answer was no, but she was afraid to break McKay's hope when his body was still so fragile. She had almost wished Teyla had not told him of his duty quite yet. However, she knew that lying to him could be even worse.

"I'm sorry, but he will not get better not here or back on Earth. I know that you are the best one for this decision, John trusted and so do we." Rodney closed his eyes so he didn't have to talk to them again. Weir whispered in low tones to Teyla before she left. Teyla lingered for a while holding his hand.

"This is for the best. John would not want to live like this," she told him knowing he was still partially awake. He laid there listening to her for a while. He could understand why Sheppard had liked her so much. She was his voice of reason

"I know," he said quietly back. "But I really don't think I can do it."

"We're all here for you Rodney. You're not alone, you already know what has to happen, and the only question is when."


	5. Chapter 5

**Yay it's finally compleat. I'm sorry but I had to go with my original intentions, so I can't appease everyone but hopefully you will all like this. Anyway please review, it makes me happy, so thank you to all who have review you've made my very happy. I still don't know about the whole pet thing but I think I'm leaning more to a squirrel, partially because there are lots of squirrels on campus lately that have been all super cute. Anyway it'll be a happier story than this one**

McKay wouldn't speak to anyone for days. Teyla would often come in to keep him company but no words would be exchanged. She would simply sit there and keep him company often bringing him a new book or something to read while he wasn't sleeping. Later that day Beckett came in to check on McKay.

"Can I see him today?" he asked Beckett. He sighed and nodded.

"Yes, I'll let you see him today. I'll get the nurse to bring a wheel chair." McKay slowly moved to a sitting position it was quite painful but he did not protest it. Beckett came back in and transferred McKay's IVs from the stationary stand to the portable one.

"Did Elizabeth talk to SGC?"

"She did, there is nothing they can do. There is no way to save him, almost all brain function has ceased." McKay nodded. Nothing was said as he was wheeled into Sheppard's room. McKay almost didn't recognize him. Machines had taken over his entire form and Rodney knew that was all that was keeping his friend alive. He knew the time would come when they would take them off. It was a horrible sight to see and McKay couldn't stand to look at Sheppard's body anymore.

"We're leaving now." Beckett just nodded. On the way back to his room Weir stopped them.

"Rodney, would you like to take a walk?" She asked. McKay clearly didn't want to talk to her; he had not forgiven her for making him decide when Sheppard would die. But he didn't say anything to her and she took the wheel chair from Beckett and walked him out to the hall. Silence had fallen between them as they just walked about for a while. Finally she took him in to her office that overlooked the busy city.

"It's amazing how everyone can just continue on, like nothing's happening," McKay commented looking at everyone going about their daily duties.

"Atlantis is like a brick wall," Weir said, "if one brick crumbles the whole wall doesn't necessarily fall. However, more pressure gets placed on all the other bricks in the wall." She paused for a moment. "Especially those closest to the crumbled brick, they feel the loss the most." McKay nodded in agreement. Silence fell once again. He knew what Weir wanted to talk to him about. She couldn't bear to see Sheppard kept alive unnaturally.

"I can't do this anymore, for the first time in my life I don't know how to solve the problem. I don't have any answer. Elizabeth you're right, I think it's time"

"Time for what?"

"Time to let him go." A small smile of relief came to her face. A shadow of what it used to be. "I should be heading back; Carson will start worrying about me." She said nothing as she took him back to the infirmary.

"Let's give it until tomorrow morning," Weir said, "it's getting late now and it will give us time to prepare."

"Yeah"

"Good night Rodney." Once everyone left the tears came streaming down his face. He was angry, angry with Weir because she made him choose, angry with Beckett because he couldn't fix Sheppard and most of all, angry with him self, because he couldn't think of anyway to keep his friend from dying. He heard the door open and tried to wipe his face. He turned to see Teyla there. She bent down and kissed him on the forehead.

"Thank you," she said softly, "for doing what no one else could. You truly are strong." McKay took her hand as she settled in to sit with him. It was nothing more then that he felt calm with her around. It was comforting to know he still had at least one good friend to lean on.

Dawn seemed to come quickly and McKay woke up to find Teyla and Beckett sitting with him. "It is time," he simple stated to them. Beckett helped McKay in to the wheel chair and they walked over to Sheppard's room. Weir was already there and looked as if she had been there all night. As they walked in she inhaled deeply and blinked back the tears.

"I don't know if I can do this," she whispered quietly. Teyla moved to place a comforting hand on her back.

We all understand this is for the best."

"Yes, but I feel like we're letting him down."

"We'd be letting him down if we didn't let him go. You know that he would never want to live like this." Teyla had become everyone's rock. Weir let out a small laugh though the tears that had fallen.

"That is what I said earlier wasn't it." Teyla nodded.

"Yes, and it is true." Weir looked at McKay.

"Ready?"

"Yes." Beckett move to remove the ventilator from Sheppard's mouth. No breath came out and McKay could see the heart beat slowly decline. Right before he flat lined a flash of light filled the room and all that was left in Sheppard's place were the blue scrubs he had been wearing. Everyone stood stunned for a second and McKay looked around, to stunned to speak. Everyone looked surprised. Teyla was the first one to speak.

"What happened?" She looked around very confused. Weir turned to her with a mixture of surprise, sadness, but also a touch of happiness.

"He had ascended to a high plane of existence. I've only heard about it before but I've never seen it before. When the plague swept though our home galaxy the Ancients either ascended or died. Considering John had quite a bit of the ancient's gene in him, he learned to ascend." A small smile broke its way across McKay's face. While Sheppard was gone he knew that he was in better place. Weir looked around a bit uncertain for a second. "I should go inform the city." The other agreed.

"Lt. Colonel John Sheppard was a man of honor. He represented all that was good in our city. I know not everyone always got along or agreed with him. But Atlantis was a better city because of him. He will be honored." McKay listened and Weir made the rest of her speech. It was meaningful, but it couldn't stop the tears that managed their way down his face. Even Teyla was crying. He looked out over the crowed and saw that a large number of people were quite shaken. It brought him a bit of comfort to know Sheppard was well liked and that people would miss him. When a good person dies they should be missed.

After the funeral ceremony was over McKay went back to the infirmary with a promise that he could sleep in his own bed tomorrow. Teyla went to the gym to work off her sorrow, away from prying eyes, and Weir just stood silently on a balcony overlooking the ocean. She held on to one of the metals she was going to give to Sheppard before this happened. She looked at it closely and the cast it as far as she could into the glittering ocean. "All that is life returns to the water," she said quietly bring herself some kind of closer. She watched for a while longer before she turned to go back in side.

"Hey," a voice said to her. She turned to see Sheppard standing there smiling.

"John, is that really you," she asked in disbelief wrapping her arms around him and a tight hug.

"The one and only. The Ancients let me come back to say good bye to everyone." He brought her head up to meet her eyes.

"Can you stay, we really need you here." He frowned and looked down.

"I can't stay. I'm needed other places."

"I miss you John, Atlantis misses you."

"I miss you too, but I'll never truly be gone you know that. My time is limited I have to go. I'll see you again. Besides it'll be interesting to see if anyone takes my spot. It seems that the position of ranking officer here is cursed." They laughed slightly.

"Good bye John." With a flash of light he was gone again, and Weir was left to console her self.

Teyla was in the gym kicking a punching bag. "I really hope it's not my face you're projecting on that bag," Sheppard said to her. "You've really kicked the shit out of it." She took a step back startled.

"I don't understand," she said to him as she reached up to touch his face finding it was warm. She pulled her hand back her hand shaken. "It really is you. How are you back?"

"I've been allowed to descend down to say good bye to the ones I love." She held his shoulders and pressed her head to his.

"Will you ever come back?"

"Yes, I will come back again to see you, when I am needed."

"Then good bye is not the appropriate term, I think it would be how you say… see you again soon." He smiled at her.

"You're right, see you again soon." He ascended up once again

McKay was sitting restlessly in the infirmary. He was still in shock from the events that had taken place earlier. His best friend was gone and he felt lost.

"I've never seen you so quite before," Sheppard said.

"Well of cores I'm quite, I'm trying to think here," McKay retorted back grinning at his friend

"How are you doing Rodney?"

"I'm sitting here in the infirmary after my best friend's funeral, how you think I'm doing." Sheppard looked at his friend dejectedly and sat down beside him.

"I'm sorry," he said very quietly, "this is my fault. I should have listened to you when you warned me about the storm." McKay grabbed his hand and looked him in the eye.

"You couldn't control the weather, just as much as I couldn't save you."

"This isn't your fault. If anything you saved me long enough so I could find help to ascend. I came back now so I could help give you all closure."

"So now you are just going to leave us again."

"I can't stay Rodney, you know that."

"You're my best friend John, what am I going to do with out you."

"You'll live on, be a friend to Teyla and Elizabeth, continue to be a smart ass to all your co workers, and someday make some really great discoveries about the Ancients. Rodney just one hint of advice, be nicer to Dr. Zelenka, he knows a lot more than you think." McKay snorted but smiled anyway. "By the way, I didn't want to say this before but I really don't like the Calgary Flames, I've always been Kings fan. Plus I like college football more anyway. Give me a good USC and Arizona game and I'm set." They both laughed. Then Sheppard stood up to go.

"John… Please… just stay."

"I'll come back again soon."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Sheppard bent down over his friend and gave him a tight hug. McKay returned it whole heartedly. Then McKay watched as Sheppard ascended once again.


End file.
